Gallas

[Bobbywoodhogan]

I'm just watching the 05/06 season review and I really don't get what happened with Gallas. I mean why did he want to leave he looked happy, we were Premiership champions, he was playing with his mates.

On a side the goal against Spurs was one of the best I've ever seen from a defender.

How do you think he will be remembered. I mean I hated him when he went to Arsenal and the way he left but he was a superb servant for the club.

So looking back why did he want to leave and how will he be remembered to you?

Edited October 10, 2010 by Bobbywoodhogan

[chelseabootboy]

I'm just watching the 05/06 season review and I really don't get what happened with Gallas. I mean why did he want to leave he looked happy, we were Premiership champions, he was playing with his mates.

On a side the goal against Spurs was one of the best I've ever seen from a defender.

How do you think he will be remembered. I mean I hated him when he went to Arsenal and the way he left but he was a superb servant for the club.

So looking back why did he want to leave and how will he be remembered to you?

he will always be a c**t too me.....

[Zola]

I bet if he could rewind the tape he would have stayed with us and changed his attitude.

Total c**t though

:)

Edited October 10, 2010 by Zola

[The Brit]

when jose signed ricky that was the beginning of the end...one of the best defenders to play for the club and his partnership with JT was better than when ricky took his place......gallas was miffed that he was pushed out to left back so that jose's chosen one could play in his place...statistics certainly back up his claim...

he pulled a sulk and wanted to leave...I don't hate the guy...why bother...we ended up with the better end of the deal and he must regret it deep down...I'm sure some of his hissy fits at arsenal was down to the realisation that they weren't as good as chelsea and he could see they didn;t have what it takes to win the League...

I prefer to just remember his five very good years at the club and anyone who scores a last minute screamer to beat Spurs should be appreciated in my book, even though he has decided to see out his retirement years with them now

[german-blue]

left back wasnt good enough for gallas......anyways I am happy that we got rid of him. Seemed to be a bad deal but turned out to be fantastic for us.

[Mikstaw]

He played really well, but I think selling him was a good deal for us!

Edited October 10, 2010 by Mikstaw

[Bobbywoodhogan]

He played really well, but I think selling him was a good deal for us!

I definitely agree with that and his performances did decline at Arsenal. The season after aswell injuries cost us winning the league title for a third time and he would have been good to have had when JT was out BUT getting rid of him did bring us the best LB in the world but we might have gotten him anyway. But overall I'm sure Gallas regrets leaving Chelsea.

[Gem]

When I think of Gallas I think of that goal against Spuds but most importantly - we got Ash thanks to him.

[TT]

We went public with the statement that he threatened to score an own goal or just not try if we did not let him go to arsenal.

His denials were rather weak, but he said that when the time was right he would tell his side of the story.

Well, Mr Judus, "see you next tuesday", we are still waiting.

[bluegraham]

i first saw gallas play for chelsea against boro in he's first season we drew 2-2 but he was unreal he covered every postion in defence that day with he.s dreadlocks he was like ruud guillt.

he was my favourite player for sometime after that day. but he,s a c**t. they way he's attiude has changed sence he moved to that foreign team in north london for me raps up arsenal and wenger. he's actions on the pitch against birmingham was disgusting arsenal lost the leauge that day. then he joins spurs does this man have no shame. gallas and arsenal i felt belonged together both very slimey beings. like many already said we got ashely cole in for gallas grat bit of business,but at the start i was well pissed off silly me i guess.

[Bobbywoodhogan]

We went public with the statement that he threatened to score an own goal or just not try if we did not let him go to arsenal.

His denials were rather weak, but he said that when the time was right he would tell his side of the story.

Well, Mr Judus, "see you next tuesday", we are still waiting.

That was strange I must say.

I remember reading that he wanted more money on a contract offer but surely when he left and went to Arsenal his wages were worse.

Its just all abit strange, did he threaten to score an own goal, I doubt he will admit it if he did.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Bobbywoodhogan

[german-blue]

like many already said we got ashely cole in for gallas grat bit of business,but at the start i was well pissed off silly me i guess.

I think 90% of us thought that way...

[mad_mac]

He didn't exactly arrive under teh greatest of circumstances to us either. If I remember correctly he threated to quit trying for Marseille unless he moved to Chelsea, so it seems that he's not affraid to throw that threat around. I'm not sure if he ever said anything about actually scoring an own goal, or if it was more a case of he'd fail to try stopping a ball that was heading goalwards.

Either way it's merely speculation, but the fact that he said it while at marseille, and again while with us shows that it's certainly a huge gamble to take. As a footballer I really liked Gallas, and it's testament to his ability that he was broken from his successful partner in CB (Terry) and slotted quite seamlessly into the LB position.

I think the lure of the Arsenal captaincy really got to him, and I'm sure Wenger had a few frank conversations with him about this. It's just a shame for him that it all went to his head and he became a total c**t about it.

How will I remember him: A great defender, a great footballer, but hugely overinflated in his own ego and ultimately a bit of a sad figure.

Scott

[mad_mac]

when jose signed ricky that was the beginning of the end...one of the best defenders to play for the club and his partnership with JT was better than when ricky took his place......gallas was miffed that he was pushed out to left back so that jose's chosen one could play in his place...statistics certainly back up his claim...

he pulled a sulk and wanted to leave...I don't hate the guy...why bother...we ended up with the better end of the deal and he must regret it deep down...I'm sure some of his hissy fits at arsenal was down to the realisation that they weren't as good as chelsea and he could see they didn;t have what it takes to win the League...

I prefer to just remember his five very good years at the club and anyone who scores a last minute screamer to beat Spurs should be appreciated in my book, even though he has decided to see out his retirement years with them now

Wasn't he initialy put out to LB after Wayne bridge had his leg broken by Allan Shearer. At that point it was Gallas or Del Horno for LB, and I think Gallas won that competition hand's down

[The Moos]

Unless I'm mistaking he went to Arsenal because he wanted more money and he didn't want to play as RB or LB.

The odd thing is that he only got slightly more at Arsenal (I think we offered him 80k per week and he got like 83k, even though he wanted much more) and I also think he was played as LB or RB at Arsenal, atleast in the beginning.

[TheWestwayWonder]

I didnt seen it mentioned, but the coup de grace with Gallas's acrimonious departure was when he refused to go to the USA on the 2006 summer tour and the club reprimanded him by stripping him of number 13 and giving it to Ballack who had just signed. That was a pretty cold blooded move on its face, but not in light of all the 'threatening to score own goals' nonsense.

Speaking of that long rumored accusation (or the "i will make mistakes" threat) the wikipedia article essentially paints Chelsea as the villains through the whole thing. I have edited it before to include printed versions of the accusations made against him, but it looks like some gooner has taken it out If anyone has any decent links reprinting that claim, I would be much obliged.

I think 90% of us thought that way...

Yup, I definitely did too. I hated Ashley Cole when he arrived here. Gallas had acted like a child, but how he was being played was a major talking point among fans in those days, and many thought he had been pushed out by (who else) Kenyon and the brass. Meanwhile, Cole was one of the gooners I hated most, and was coming here after rejecting the huge contract at Arsenal (and being buried by a PR wave from the redtops).

Over the past few years, I went from hating gallas to just finding him pitiable. The famed tantrum at St. Andrews put all his good years for us in the shade, and if you didnt know any better you would swear he was a paid agent the way he wrecked Arsenal as their "leader". After going there, he was never going to think twice about going to Tottenham and staying in london if nobody else wanted him. He just seems to be climbing down the ladder as he gets a little older and a little slower.

I'll never forget how dominant he was for us, though. The partnership with JT was the heart of one of the great premiership defenses ever. And as much as he pissed and moaned, he was a great LB when called upon.

[MHL_blue]

I liked Gallas very much when he played for us and thought he was an integral part of the 2004-2006 winning team. It turned really sour in the end and what a shame he turned against us and acted a c**t.

I'm very pleased now though, because Cole has been just brilliant for us and I think we got the better of that deal.

I second the much mentioned goal against Spuds. I've also seen the goal celebrations time and time again.

Thankful for the effort he gave us, but good ridance.

[Nibs]

I can understand supporters not liking a player any more when they move to another club but I can't bring myself to hate Gallas.

I have never seen a Chelsea defence perform as well and look as solid when we had the JT / Gallas partnership and for me, whilst he was with us, Gallas developed into the best all round defender I have ever seen play for Chelsea.

I might view matters differently if he had gone to Arsenal (or anywhere else) and gone on to win loads whilst we struggled, but as that's not the case I now just feel a bit sorry for him and remember how great a player he was for us and how he clearly loved playing for us (the sheer joy on his face when he scored the winner against Spurs & the celebrations when we lifted a number of trophies).

Edited October 11, 2010 by Nibs

[dkw]

Im sorry but how can you feel sorry for a player who refused to tour with the club, refused to play left back in a massive game against Liverpool then played but threatened to score an own goal? Thats not the actions of someone to feel sorry for.

[Nibs]

Im sorry but how can you feel sorry for a player who refused to tour with the club, refused to play left back in a massive game against Liverpool then played but threatened to score an own goal? Thats not the actions of someone to feel sorry for.

I'm pretty sure that "own goal" thing was never proved one way or the other.

Maybe "feel sorry" was the wrong term. But I certainly can't hate a player who was so integral in us winning back-to-back premier league trophies.

[dkw]

I'm pretty sure that "own goal" thing was never proved one way or the other.

Maybe "feel sorry" was the wrong term. But I certainly can't hate a player who was so integral in us winning back-to-back premier league trophies.

I thought it had been cleared up? I cant actually remember how it finished to be honest, just remember him threatening to sue yet never doing it. Either way, its common knowledge that he did refuse to play against Liverpool which is as bad in my mind.

[The Brit]

I can understand why people have a lot of animosity toward gallas considering the way it ended...but why not just concentrate on the good times, which far outweighed the bad...i was surprised to read there is so much animosity towards Joe Cole on here too just cos of a few comments when he joined Liverpool...talk about bitterness.com, especially as we're still riding so high...what's the point in holding grudges against two key members of our League winning campaigns in 2005 and 2006.

Edited October 11, 2010 by The Brit

[Bobbywoodhogan]

I'll admit I stll hate Gallas but I dont hate Joe Cole that guy was my favourite player for years.

[Mikstaw]

I think Gallas's partnership with JT was good, but it wasn't fantastic. Riccky was a better player and now we've got Alex so we shouldn't grumble...

[german-blue]

I think Gallas's partnership with JT was good, but it wasn't fantastic. Riccky was a better player and now we've got Alex so we shouldn't grumble...

Wouldn´t agree... Gallas + JT was superb. I would even say that Gallas helped JT to become what he is today.

Both Carvahlo and Gallas have been better then Alex in my opinion. Not so much because Alex is a bad player but more because Alex and JT both lack mobility and pace. Something that Gallas and Carvahlo were able to add.